"Our bloodline is called the Golden Tiger bloodline. I can't tell you the full extent of our powers, but if fully awakened, our clan could soar. We might even become one of the most formidable clans on the continent." Xia Yongzhi turned toward his guards. "Do we have contacts in Mystic Moon City?"

"Yes, clan leader. We have trading partners there."

"Good. Contact them. Ask if what Liu Xing said is true. I want the answer before sunset!"

"Yes, sir!" One of the guards rose and hurried away. He leaped across the river, landed on top of a horse, then kicked it into motion. The horse ran so fast it created a cloud of dust.

Xia Yongzhi faced Liu Xing again. "If we get confirmation about your information, then I, Xia Yongzhi, will formally apologize to you and compensate you."

"All right," Liu Xing nodded. He honestly didn't need compensation or a formal apology from Xia Yongzhi, but there was no reason to refuse outright.

As Xia Yongzhi began to get up, his guards began to gather around him, ensuring his well-being, while Liu Xing contemplated his next move under the tree. He had received the confirmation he sought, but the situation was now more complicated. After all, whatever had killed Bai Lin's grandson was likely still nearby. After thinking for a moment, Liu Xing decided to at least investigate the crime scene.

"Clan leader Xia," Liu Xing called out. "Would you show me where Xia Hongyi and Xia Shizi were murdered?"

"Why? While you're still under suspicion, I believe at least half of what you said. If you think you need to find more evidence to clear your name, you don't. My underling is on his way to confirm your information."

Liu Xing answered truthfully. "One of the victims is my friend's grandson, and I promised to help investigate this matter. It's pure coincidence that the murders of your brother and son happened when I'm here, but this is an opportunity to finally shed some light on who or what this murderer is."

Xia Yongzhi raised his eyebrows. "Are you telling the truth?"

"Yes."

Xia Yongzhi pinched his chin, then nodded. "All right, but on one condition. I know you're hiding something, so I want you to share everything that could remotely help me and my clan find who's responsible for the deaths of my son and brother."

Liu Xing thought for a moment. Telling him about Wei Yi was risky. From their brief interaction, Liu Xing knew that Xia Yongzhi could be reasoned with, but his immediate response to hearing dubious information from a child was to trust the child blindly and attempt to kill someone, this painted Xia Yongzhi as reckless and impulsive. What if he told him about Wei Yi and he went after him?

"I can't promise to tell you everything I know, as there are still many speculations. But I can tell you who my friend suspects is behind all these murders."

Liu Xing decided to tell Xia Yongzhi about Wei Yi later, but only if he found some clues or interesting things at the crime scene. Xia Yongzhi nodded. He opened his mouth as if to say something, but was interrupted by the sound of a galloping horse and a shout. Liu Xing, Xia Yongzhi, and the guards turned toward the sound and saw a man riding a horse with a panicked face. This wasn't the guard Xia Yongzhi had sent to contact their trading partners in Mystic Moon City. This man came from a different direction.

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"Clan leader, I have an important message!" As he shouted, he finally arrived nearby. He dismounted, clasped his hands, and knelt. "The Grand Elder has finally come out of seclusion!"

"What?" Xia Yongzhi's eyes widened. "Wasn't he predicted to come out of seclusion next year? Are you serious?"

"Yes. I've seen him with my own eyes. But he didn't go to our clan compound. Instead, he traveled swiftly in another direction."

"Where did he go?"

"If I'm not mistaken, the Grand Elder probably went toward where we found the young master's and your brother's arms."

As Liu Xing heard this, he understood a few things. This Grand Elder had probably ended his seclusion because he knew Xia Hongyi and Xia Shizi were killed, and now he was at the crime scene. Xia Yongzhi's eyes looked panicked, but he inhaled deeply and regained his focus. Then, Xia Yongzhi threw his wide silver sword, which had been attached to his back, into the sky. As the silver sword hovered, Xia Yongzhi jumped on top of it. "I'll go meet him. You guys continue the investigation, especially about the information Liu Xing provided. Also, bring Xia Weiyuan to meet the Grand Elder."

"Clan leader Xia," Liu Xing called. "You promised to show me the crime scene."

Xia Yongzhi gritted his teeth for a moment, his face contorting in anger, but it soon vanished. "All right, but I need to warn you, our Grand Elder is not someone you can mess with."

Liu Xing nodded. A Grand Elder usually had high cultivation, and Liu Xing didn't intend to do anything stupid that could potentially get him killed. This was likely one of the rare occasions Liu Xing would encounter a cultivator that way stronger than him. He predicted that the Grand Elder wasn't newly advanced to the Core Splitting realm either, but someone who had cultivated it for hundreds of years.

Xia Yongzhi's sword moved, whistling in the air. Liu Xing summoned his gun, activated Lightning Cloak, and kicked the ground. While he couldn't fly in the traditional sense, with his shield, he had no problem catching up to Xia Yongzhi. Soon, they arrived at their destination. Surprisingly, the location was quite close to the newly formed lake, and Liu Xing suspected the murder had happened when he fought that inverted pyramid.

Xia Yongzhi leapt from his sword to the ground. Liu Xing followed and looked around. The area in front of him had nothing special. There were trees, bushes, and a dirt path. The notable features were a two-meter hole in the dirt path and several patches of dried blood. An old man stood in front of one bloody spot. He wore a pure black robe with golden embroidery. His back was bent as if carrying a heavy weight, and the hair on top of his head was white as snow.

"Xia Yongzhi greets Grand Elder. Congratulations on your breakthrough!"

Xia Yongzhi clasped his hands and knelt. As he knelt, the Grand Elder turned his head. When he saw Xia Yongzhi, his face suddenly contorted in anger. His eyes sharpened, and he regarded Xia Yongzhi with disdain. But instead of shouting and cursing at Xia Yongzhi, he nodded and turned to Liu Xing. As their eyes met, Liu Xing clasped his hands and bowed his head.

"Who are you?" the Grand Elder asked.

"My name is Liu Xing from Purple Moon Sect."

"A disciple from a great sect. What are you doing in my territory?"

Liu Xing inhaled deeply to calm his heart. While this old man looked frail, his presence was heavy. Liu Xing could feel the huge amount of qi he carried, and it felt like seeing an ancient ocean. Liu Xing had no doubt that this old man was at the pinnacle of the Core Splitting realm. Even against the fox, Liu Xing had been confident, but the idea of fighting this old man was inconceivable. Liu Xing felt like an ant in front of an elephant.

"I came here with Xia Yongzhi to investigate the place where his son and brother were killed. I think the same thing that killed them also killed my friend's grandson."

The grand elder stared at Liu Xing. His wrinkled skin resembled the bark of an ancient tree, yet Liu Xing sensed a vitality that suggested many years of life remained.

"Tell me everything you know," the grand elder said, his eyes locked on Liu Xing. His black eyes looked peaceful, like a still pond. Yet Liu Xing sensed a hint of madness there, as if that dark water could swallow him whole. The air around Liu Xing grew heavy, cold, and suffocating, and beads of sweat began to form on his back

"Speak," the grand elder commanded.

"Y-yes," Liu Xing answered.

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